Method and apparatus for providing emergency ring tones for urgent calls

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for enabling calling parties to request the VoIP network to provide a special ring tone to be signaled as the occurrence of an urgent call to called parties are disclosed. Alternatively, a high frequency intercept tone or call waiting tone is also provided when the called parties are already engaged in conversation when an urgent call is incoming.

The present invention relates generally to communication networks and,more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing emergencyring tones for urgent calls in communication networks, e.g., packetnetworks such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The necessity of communicating with someone on a real-time basis variesas a function of the urgency of the communication. Frequently, callingparties are often content to leave a voice mail message for someone orthe called parties will often let calls be redirected to voice mail ifthey are busy or do not want to be disturbed. Occasionally, calls are ofan urgent nature and need to be attended to on an immediate basis.

Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for providingemergency ring tones for urgent calls in a packet network, e.g., a VoIPnetwork.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention enables calling parties torequest the packet network, e.g., a VoIP network to provide a specialring tone to be signaled as the occurrence of an urgent call to calledparties. Alternatively, a special high frequency intercept tone or callwaiting tone is also provided when called parties are already engaged inconversation when an urgent call is incoming.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teaching of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)network related to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of enabling emergency ring tones forurgent calls in a VoIP network of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for enabling emergency ringtones for urgent calls in a VoIP network of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a high level block diagram of a general purposecomputer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To better understand the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates anexample network, e.g., a packet network such as a VoIP network relatedto the present invention. Exemplary packet networks include internetprotocol (IP) networks, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks,frame-relay networks, and the like. An IP network is broadly defined asa network that uses Internet Protocol to exchange data packets. Thus, aVoIP network or a SoIP (Service over Internet Protocol) network isconsidered an IP network.

In one embodiment, the VoIP network may comprise various types ofcustomer endpoint devices connected via various types of access networksto a carrier (a service provider) VoIP core infrastructure over anInternet Protocol/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) based corebackbone network. Broadly defined, a VoIP network is a network that iscapable of carrying voice signals as packetized data over an IP network.The present invention is described below in the context of anillustrative VoIP network. Thus, the present invention should not beinterpreted to be limited by this particular illustrative architecture.

The customer endpoint devices can be either Time Division Multiplexing(TDM) based or IP based. TDM based customer endpoint devices 122, 123,134, and 135 typically comprise of TDM phones or Private Branch Exchange(PBX). IP based customer endpoint devices 144 and 145 typically compriseIP phones or IP PBX. The Terminal Adaptors (TA) 132 and 133 are used toprovide necessary interworking functions between TDM customer endpointdevices, such as analog phones, and packet based access networktechnologies, such as Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) or Cable broadbandaccess networks. TDM based customer endpoint devices access VoIPservices by using either a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 120,121 or a broadband access network via a TA 132 or 133. IP based customerendpoint devices access VoIP services by using a Local Area Network(LAN) 140 and 141 with a VoIP gateway or router 142 and 143,respectively.

The access networks can be either TDM or packet based. A TDM PSTN 120 or121 is used to support TDM customer endpoint devices connected viatraditional phone lines. A packet based access network, such as FrameRelay, ATM, Ethernet or IP, is used to support IP based customerendpoint devices via a customer LAN, e.g., 140 with a VoIP gateway androuter 142. A packet based access network 130 or 131, such as DSL orCable, when used together with a TA 132 or 133, is used to support TDMbased customer endpoint devices.

The core VoIP infrastructure comprises of several key VoIP components,such the Border Element (BE) 112 and 113, the Call Control Element (CCE)111, VoIP related Application Servers (AS) 114, and Media Server (MS)115. The BE resides at the edge of the VoIP core infrastructure andinterfaces with customers endpoints over various types of accessnetworks. A BE is typically implemented as a Media Gateway and performssignaling, media control, security, and call admission control andrelated functions. The CCE resides within the VoIP infrastructure and isconnected to the BEs using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) overthe underlying IP/MPLS based core backbone network 110. The CCE istypically implemented as a Media Gateway Controller or a softswitch andperforms network wide call control related functions as well asinteracts with the appropriate VoIP service related servers whennecessary. The CCE functions as a SIP back-to-back user agent and is asignaling endpoint for all call legs between all BEs and the CCE. TheCCE may need to interact with various VoIP related Application Servers(AS) in order to complete a call that require certain service specificfeatures, e.g. translation of an E.164 voice network address into an IPaddress.

For calls that originate or terminate in a different carrier, they canbe handled through the PSTN 120 and 121 or the Partner IP Carrier 160interconnections. For originating or terminating TDM calls, they can behandled via existing PSTN interconnections to the other carrier. Fororiginating or terminating VoIP calls, they can be handled via thePartner IP carrier interface 160 to the other carrier.

In order to illustrate how the different components operate to support aVoIP call, the following call scenario is used to illustrate how a VoIPcall is setup between two customer endpoints. A customer using IP device144 at location A places a call to another customer at location Z usingTDM device 135. During the call setup, a setup signaling message is sentfrom IP device 144, through the LAN 140, the VoIP Gateway/Router 142,and the associated packet based access network, to BE 112. BE 112 willthen send a setup signaling message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIPis used, to CCE 111. CCE 111 looks at the called party information andqueries the necessary VoIP service related application server 114 toobtain the information to complete this call. In one embodiment, theApplication Server (AS) functions as a SIP back-to-back user agent. IfBE 113 needs to be involved in completing the call; CCE 111 sendsanother call setup message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIP is used,to BE 113. Upon receiving the call setup message, BE 113 forwards thecall setup message, via broadband network 131, to TA 133. TA 133 thenidentifies the appropriate TDM device 135 and rings that device. Oncethe call is accepted at location Z by the called party, a callacknowledgement signaling message, such as a SIP 200 OK response messageif SIP is used, is sent in the reverse direction back to the CCE 111.After the CCE 111 receives the call acknowledgement message, it willthen send a call acknowledgement signaling message, such as a SIP 200 OKresponse message if SIP is used, toward the calling party. In addition,the CCE 111 also provides the necessary information of the call to bothBE 112 and BE 113 so that the call data exchange can proceed directlybetween BE 112 and BE 113. The call signaling path 150 and the callmedia path 151 are illustratively shown in FIG. 1. Note that the callsignaling path and the call media path are different because once a callhas been setup up between two endpoints, the CCE 111 does not need to bein the data path for actual direct data exchange.

Media Servers (MS) 115 are special servers that typically handle andterminate media streams, and to provide services such as announcements,teleconference bridges, transcoding, and Interactive Voice Response(IVR) messages for VoIP service applications.

Note that a customer in location A using any endpoint device type withits associated access network type can communicate with another customerin location Z using any endpoint device type with its associated networktype as well. For instance, a customer at location A using IP customerendpoint device 144 with packet based access network 140 can callanother customer at location Z using TDM endpoint device 123 with PSTNaccess network 121. The BEs 112 and 113 are responsible for thenecessary signaling protocol translation, e.g., SS7 to and from SIP, andmedia format conversion, such as TDM voice format to and from IP basedpacket voice format.

The necessity of communicating with someone on a real-time basis variesas a function of the urgency of the communication. Frequently, callingparties are often content to leave a voice mail message for someone orthe called parties will often let calls be redirected to voice mail ifthey are busy or do not want to be disturbed. Occasionally, calls are ofan urgent nature and need to be attended to on an immediate basis.

To address this need, the present invention enables calling parties torequest the packet network, e.g., a VoIP network to provide a specialring tone to be signaled as the occurrence of an urgent call to calledparties. Alternatively, a special high frequency intercept tone or callwaiting tone is also provided when called parties are already engaged inconversation when an urgent call is incoming.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary communication architecture 200 forenabling emergency ring tones for urgent calls in a packet network,e.g., a VoIP network of the present invention. In FIG. 2, calling party231 is a registered subscriber of the emergency ring tone servicefeature to send and/or receive emergency ring tones and called party 232is a registered subscriber of the emergency ring tone service feature toreceive and/or send emergency ring tones. Calling party 231 registerswith the network provider a list of registered phone numbers to whichemergency ring tones can be sent. Called party 232 registers with thenetwork provider a list of registered phone numbers from which emergencyring tones can be received.

For example, calling party 231 makes a call to calling party 232 usingthe emergency ring tone service feature using signaling path 260 via BE212. The service feature can be enabled by calling party 231 by enteringa predefined DTMF signal before dialing the phone number of called party232. Upon receiving the call setup message with an indication of sendingan emergency ring tone from calling party 231 to called party 232, CCE211 communicates with AS 214 using signaling path 261 to verify thatcalling party 231 is a valid subscriber to send emergency ring tone andcalled party 232 is a valid subscriber to receive emergency ring tone.In addition, AS 214 verifies that the phone number of called party 232is on the calling party 231 registered list of phone number to whichemergency ring tone can be sent and that the phone number of callingparty 231 is on the called party 232 registered list of phone numberfrom which emergency ring tone can be received.

In one embodiment, called party 232 is engaged in another call at themoment, CCE 211 sends the call setup message with the emergency callwaiting tone to called party 232 using signaling path 262 via BE 213.Upon receiving the emergency call waiting tone, called party 232 decidesto disengage the existing call to answer the call from calling party231. In another embodiment, called party 232 is screening incoming callsand CCE 211 sends an emergency ring tone to called party 232 usingsignaling path 262. Upon receiving an incoming call with an emergencyring tone, called party 232 decides to answer the incoming call fromcalling party 231.

Note that if the calling party is a registered subscriber of theemergency ring tone service feature but the called party is not aregistered emergency ring tone subscriber, the called party will simplyreceive a regular ring tone instead. If the calling party is aregistered subscriber of the emergency ring tone service feature and thecalled party is a registered subscriber of the emergency ring toneservice feature but the called party phone number is not on the callingparty registered list of phone numbers to which an emergency ring tonecan be sent, the called party will simply receive a regular ring toneinstead. If the calling party is a registered subscriber of theemergency ring tone service feature and the called party is a registeredsubscriber of the emergency ring tone service feature but the callingparty phone number is not on the called party registered list of phonenumbers from which an emergency ring tone can be received, the calledparty will simply receive a regular ring tone instead. In addition, thecalling party who is a registered subscriber of the emergency ring toneservice feature can set the registered number list such that anemergency ring tone can be sent to all called parties. Similarly, thecalled party who is a registered subscriber of the emergency ring toneservice feature can set the registered number list such that anemergency ring tone can be received from all calling parties.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method 300 for enabling emergencyring tones for urgent calls in a packet network, e.g., a VoIP network ofthe present invention. Method 300 starts in step 305 and proceeds tostep 310.

In step 310, the method receives a call setup signaling message with anindication to send an emergency ring tone to a called party from acalling party.

In step 320, the method checks if both the calling and the calledparties subscribe to the emergency ring tone service feature. If boththe calling and the called parties subscribe to the emergency ring toneservice feature, the method proceeds to step 330; otherwise, the methodproceeds to step 360.

In step 330, the method checks if the called party phone number is onthe calling party's registered list of phone numbers to which anemergency ring tone can be sent. If the called party phone number is onthe calling party's registered list, the method proceeds to step 340;otherwise, the method proceeds to step 360.

In step 340, the method checks if the calling party phone number is onthe called party's registered list of phone numbers from which anemergency ring tone can be received. If the calling party phone numberis on the called party registered list, the method proceeds to step 350;otherwise, the method proceeds to step 360.

In step 350, the method completes the call to the called party byforwarding the call setup message with an emergency ring tone if thephone line of the called party is not busy or with an emergency callwaiting tone if the phone line of the called party is busy.

In step 360, the method completes the call to the called party byforwarding the call setup message with a regular ring tone or a regularcall waiting tone. The method ends in step 370.

It should be noted that steps 330 and 340 may be optional steps in oneembodiment of the present invention. Namely, if both parties aresubscribers to the emergency ring tone service feature, then theemergency tone can be sent on that basis alone.

FIG. 4 depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computersuitable for use in performing the functions described herein. Asdepicted in FIG. 4, the system 400 comprises a processor element 402(e.g., a CPU), a memory 404, e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/orread only memory (ROM), an emergency ring tone for urgent call module405, and various input/output devices 406 (e.g., storage devices,including but not limited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard diskdrive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, adisplay, a speech synthesizer, an output port, and a user input device(such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)).

It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented insoftware and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., usingapplication specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purposecomputer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, thepresent emergency ring tone for urgent call module or process 405 can beloaded into memory 404 and executed by processor 402 to implement thefunctions as discussed above. As such, the present emergency ring tonefor urgent call process 405 (including associated data structures) ofthe present invention can be stored on a computer readable medium orcarrier, e.g., RAM memory, magnetic or optical drive or diskette and thelike.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example only, and notlimitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment shouldnot be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

1. A method for providing an emergency ring tone for an urgent call in acommunication network, comprising: receiving a call setup signalingmessage from a calling party requesting an emergency ring tone to besent to a called party, where said emergency ring tone is provided inaccordance with an emergency ring tone service feature; and providingsaid emergency ring tone to said called party, wherein said providingcomprises verifying that both said calling party and said called partyare registered subscribers of said emergency ring tone service featureand sending said emergency ring tone to said called party, and whereinsaid providing further comprises checking that a phone number of saidcalled party is on a registered emergency ring tone list of said callingparty and checking that a phone number of said calling party is on aregistered emergency ring tone list of said called party.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein said communication network is a Voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP) network or a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP)network.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said verifying is performedby an Application Server (AS).
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein saidsending is performed by a Call Control Element (CCE).
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said emergency ring tone comprises a predefined ringtone if a phone line of said called party is not busy and a predefinedcall waiting tone if said phone line of said called party is engaged. 6.A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality ofinstructions, the plurality of instructions including instructionswhich, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform thesteps of a method for providing an emergency ring tone for an urgentcall in a communication network, comprising: receiving a call setupsignaling message from a calling party requesting an emergency ring toneto be sent to a called party, where said emergency ring tone is providedin accordance with an emergency ring tone service feature; and providingsaid emergency ring tone to said called party, wherein said providingcomprises verifying that both said calling party and said called partyare registered subscribers of said emergency ring tone service featureand sending said emergency ring tone to said called party, and whereinsaid providing further comprises checking that a phone number of saidcalled party is on a registered emergency ring tone list of said callingparty and checking that a phone number of said calling party is on aregistered emergency ring tone list of said called party.
 7. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said communication networkis a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network or a Service overInternet Protocol (SoIP) network.
 8. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 6, wherein said verifying is performed by an Application Server(AS).
 9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said sendingis performed by a Call Control Element (CCE).
 10. The computer-readablemedium of claim 6, wherein said emergency ring tone comprises apredefined ring tone if a phone line of said called party is not busyand a predefined call waiting tone if said phone line of said calledparty is engaged.
 11. An apparatus for providing an emergency ring tonefor an urgent call in a communication network, comprising: means forreceiving a call setup signaling message from a calling party requestingan emergency ring tone to be sent to a called party, where saidemergency ring tone is provided in accordance with an emergency ringtone service feature; and means for providing said emergency ring toneto said called party, wherein said means for providing comprises meansfor verifying that both said calling party and said called party areregistered subscribers of said emergency ring tone service feature andmeans for sending said emergency ring tone to said called party, andwherein said means for providing further comprises means for checkingthat a phone number of said called party is on a registered emergencyring tone list of said calling party and means for checking that a phonenumber of said calling party is on a registered emergency ring tone listof said called party.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein saidcommunication network is a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networkor a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein said verifying is performed by an Application Server(AS), and wherein said sending is performed by a Call Control Element(CCE).
 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said emergency ring tonecomprises a predefined ring tone if a phone line of said called party isnot busy and a predefined call waiting tone if said phone line of saidcalled party is engaged.